


Innocent Until Proven Guilty

by SwansMate4Life



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Other, POV Sirius Black, Post-Sirius Black in Azkaban, Sad Sirius Black, Sirius Black Free from Azkaban, Sirius Black Lives, Sirius Black as Padfoot, Sirius Black in Azkaban
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:15:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27300079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwansMate4Life/pseuds/SwansMate4Life
Summary: Harry is about to enter into his third year at Hogwarts. Little does he know he is about to be reintroduced to some old faces from his past. But we already know his story. This is the story of Sirius Black. the events that lead up to his imprisonment, what went on beyond the walls of Azkaban and how he found his way back to Harry...with a twist.
Kudos: 5
Collections: Harry Potter Fic





	Innocent Until Proven Guilty

_(Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the story in which you are about to read. It's characters and settings are not my own. I am only attempthing what many before me have sought to do. To keep Harry Potter and everyone else in the Wizarding World alive in our hearts and through our fingertips connecting to a keyboard. If in reading this you feel I have done it any bit of justuce, than I will feel I have done well. Thank you for reading.)_

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**Chapter One: Within the Walls of Azkaban**

**It was hard to say what was most off-putting when one arrived upon the small rock on which stood the most dreaded place in existence. The towering triangular stone fortress stood as though a beacon of darkness. Emitting fear to all who laid eyes on it. Screams could be heard faintly echoing from the cells within, which held a myriad of deranged and forgotten individuals, each held captive, and trapped inside their own minds. Very few who make the rough journey across the North Sea to the structure even left alive, and few who remained could be called sain. The handful of people who did journey to and from the location did so for only the utmost necessary purposes. The remainder of the time the prison was guarded by the darkest of creatures known to witch and wizard, the Dememtors of Azkaban.**

**The creatures roamed the halls of the prison feeding off any fragment of happiness to be found in any of their prisoners, and kissing away the souls of those destined a fate worse than death itself. It was for this reason, a life in Azkaban was the most feared sentence of all. Most witches and wizards chose to take their own life rather than rot away, forgotten in a cold and dingy cell in the middle of the ocean. Slowly being fed off by their captors.**

**However, unbeknownst to the keepers of the prison, in a cell on the top-most southern end a rather bored looking dog with mangy black fur lay against the back wall of a cell unmoving. Watching through the bars as Dementor after Dementor hovered up and down the hallways, occasionally stopping to take in an icy breath at each door. Drinking up the remanence of happy memories that any prisoner might have circulating around in their minds. Had the dementors been able to see, however they would quickly notice that this dog, though convincing in his charade, was no ordinary dog; and was instead an animagi. Still he laid there drifting in and out of consciousness.**

**Eyes closed.**

_ He could see James’ proud smile as they stood watching his infant son toddling around the living room of the Potter’s home in a muggle halloween costume of a baby deer that he had brought with him for Harry on that visit. Tiny antlers sprouted out of the black tufts of hair on the baby's head, as a result of a charm his father had thought to be amusing. _

_ “Harry you look just like your father” He laughed, and if possible James grinned wider at this, and looked to his best mate. “Don’t let Lily hear you say that Padfoot, I'm certain it’s her worst fear and with a father like me and you for his godfather poor old Minnie will be ready to retire the second the sorting hat places him in Gryffindor.” They both shared a laugh at this thought and began placing bets on how long she would last. _

**Eyes open.**

**A cold dampness rattled through his aching frame. Where the dog had been before, now sat a man whose hair, which was equally as mangy as the dogs fur had been, fell over his eyes to shield his face as another Dementor floated by his cell door. Not that the creature could see him. But he still found himself shrinking away at the near proximity of the cloaked figure. He had lost track of time as days, weeks, months and years had slipped by, while he sat there between the same four walls. He had forgotten long ago what life had been like outside of this hell. When the thoughts became too much for him to bear he shifted, and there once again lay the black dog.**

**Eyes closed.**

_ “Moooonyyyy, put the book down and play with us were bored!” Remus looked up from his book to see his two friends laying upside down with their feet flipped over the back of the sofa staring at him. “Honestly Padfoot, you and Prongs are grown men. Try and act like it, if not for yourselves then at least when Harry is in the room.” He then went back to his book. The two men looked down at the raven haired baby sitting on the floor nearby, then exchanged a mischievous look. It wasn’t long before Remus had to run for cover because his friends had taken to levitating all of Harry’s toys to smack him in the head. The ‘teddy war’ as they had later dubbed it was soon interrupted by Lily coming into the room. A look of disapproval on her face. That is until he had thrown her over his shoulder and tried to use her as a shield, howling with laughter as she shrieked his name to put her down. _

**Eyes open.**

**It was all his fault. He stifled another quiet sob, certain that he had no tears left in him to let fall, then transformed back into the dog. He preferred it. He didn’t have to feel as much this way. His complex human emotions felt watered down in his animagus form.**

**Eyes closed.**

_ “We’d like it to be you Padfoot.” James smiled broadly at his friend. “Dumbledoor said we had to choose a secret keeper that we knew would protect our locations with their life. There’s no one I’d trust more that you brother.” _

_ I shifted uncomfortably in his seat for a moment. “ I would really love nothing more James, Lily.” He looked back at them with affection, then brushed the back of his fingers lovingly against the cheek of the sleeping Harry in his arms. “ But it shouldn’t be me. I’m the first one they’ll come looking for. We should set a decoy...someone they would never think to suspect.” _

**Eyes open.**

**My fault. I deserve this.**

**Eyes closed.**

_ He knocked for a third time on the door. Come on Pete he thought. Where was he? After another silent response he used his wand to unlock the door to the flat his friend had been renting out under a false name as a hide out. The lock clicked and he pushed his way in. Nothing looked out of place, there appeared to be no visible struggle. He cursed under his breath and ran back out to his motorcycle on the street below and flew as fast as it would take him to Godric’s Hollow and haphazardly parked it around the corner from the Potter’s home away from the prying eyes of the local muggles. The scene he came upon made him stop abruptly. Bits of debris were scattered all around. There was still smoke coming from the upstairs floor of the house where the walls and roof had been blown off. He faltered, his breath catching and his panic rising. He ran up the garden path as fast as his body would take him. The front door was blown off one of its hinges hanging there ready to fall at any moment. He pushed his way around it, and his knees buckled at the sight before him. In the hallway, laying on the floor half covered in fallen debris was the lifeless body of James. James Potter his first true friend in this world, his brother, his only remaining family. Now dead staring up at the ceiling, a vacant glassy look in his eyes. He gathered his brother up into his arms and pulled him into his lap cradling his head as he rocked back and forth howling in an unbearable pain, he knew rivaled Remus’ monthly transformations. He sat there for what must have been hours, his voice having gone hoarse from crying, he just continued on rocking quietly. He wasn’t sure exactly how much time had passed before he heard the faintest of sounds coming from the floor above, nor how long it had been happening for when he finally quieted down, but he realized it was crying. Gently laying James’ body down he got up and steadied himself as he made his way up what was left of the stairs, and turned down the hall to where the sound appeared to be coming from, Harry’s room. His heart leapt in his throat. Could it be possible? Did he even dare to hope? He inched forward, and gently pushed the door open. Lily. The beautiful scarlet hair of his friend was sprayed out around her body on the floor. Her back was to him but he already knew that she too was gone. A cry sounded again and he moved his fixed gaze from Lily’s lifeless form to the crib against the only remaining wall in the room, and to his amazement there sat a crying but otherwise perfectly alive and safe Harry. When he saw his godfather he lifted his little arms, opening and closing his tiny fists whimpering “mum mum mum” tears streaming down his cheeks.  _

_ It didn't take long for him to clear his mind and without another look towards the floor, and his body shaking he stepped forward and picked the tiny boy up from his crib, wrapping him in a plaid wool blanket that hung on the rail of the crib and apparated them out of the room to the front yard below, away from the dreadful scene behind them. He sat down on the curb, cradling Harry in his arms and placed a kiss on the baby's forehead and rocked him to try to soothe the crying boy. Thoughts racing through his mind as he thought about what was going to happen to them now. The weight of the responsibility just now hitting him of what it had meant when he had accepted being Harry’s godfather. He took a long shaky breath. Could he do it? Would he be good enough to raise Harry how Lily and James had wanted?  _

_ Tiny eyes stared up at him and Harry, whose sobs had slowed to hiccups pulled a tiny arm out of the folds of his blanket and reached out to grab at his godfather's face. “Pad” he whimpered, his little lip quivering again. “Yes, Harry I’m here.” He bit back tears and gave the biggest smile he could muster in that moment. He ran his hand soothingly over the boys hair, coming to a rest on his chest, and a tiny fist held onto his finger. _

_ He could do this. For James. For Lily. For Harry, and for him. He gently rocked Harry back to sleep, realizing in that moment how much he needed this little boy in his life now. They were all they had left. Harry, Remus, and him. _

_ “Black?” Still rocking back and forth, he had been sitting by the road for over an hour when he was startled out of his thoughts and looked up to find the big burly form of Hagrid lumbering up towards him. “Whotcher doin’ out here?” _

_ He stood up and Hagrid noticed the little sleeping bundle in his arms. “It’s ok Hagrid. Harry is ok. He..he survived. I’ve got him. We’re ok.” The sound of his own voice stunned him, and he realized that his body must be in shock. _

_ “Erhm...actually, tha’s why em here.” said Hagrid, as he rubbed the back of his neck with one of his enormous hands looking uncomfortable. “Ye see, Professor Dumbledoor has asked me te come an get lil Harry, em suppos te take em to is aunt and uncles, Dumbledoors orders.” _

_ At this he could feel his heart begin racing with panic. He glanced back and the ruins of the house behind them then down at a sleeping Harry in his arms before he looked up to meet Hagrid's eyes and furrowed his eyebrows. “You mean Lily’s horrible sister and her muggle husband?” Hagrid nodded solemnly. _

_ “Like hell you will!” he took a slight step back and tucked Harry further into his chest. “I’m his godfather, they meant for me to take him if anything happened to them, Me! Not them! He’s not going to those awful muggles Lily hated them.” _

_ It was some time before Hagrid was finally able to convince him that it was for the best and that he could go see Dumbledoor himself first thing in the morning and have Harry put back into his custody. He also needed to go out and buy everything he would need to take care of a baby of Harry’s age. In the end he offered Hagrid his motorbike. “ Harry always loves this thing, probably the only baby to fall asleep to the rumbling of the bike.” He boasted, trying to avoid the inevitable. But when Hagrid persisted he then took a moment to say goodbye to Harry whispering quietly to him so that Hagrid could not hear. “You are so loved Harry, everything is going to be ok. We won't be apart for long, I'll be back for you soon prongslet, I just need to get some things sorted is all.” He then watched as Hagrid climbed atop the bike. Harry, still sleeping, was bundled up inside Hagrid's coat. Unaware of the changes that were happening around him. As they flew off he watched, until he couldn’t see them anymore. Silently promising himself that it wouldn’t be long before Harry was in his arms again and that when he was older he wouldn’t remember his godfather having been away from him. He would make sure Harry grew up knowing exactly how much he was loved. _

_ He couldn’t bare to look back at the decrepit house. Instead, he decided to go home and wash up. Moony would be back anytime from his mission for the Order and he wanted the news of their friends' deaths to come from him. They would go and get Harry together as he was sure Remus would want to be involved as much as he did. Just as he was about to turn on the spot when he noticed the figure of a short, round man appear into view across the street. The man glimpsed the house and then briefly made eye contact with him, then let out a faint squeak of fear and apparated away. His eyes narrowed, overcome with grief and rage and he forgot everything else. His mind set on one thing...finding Peter! _

  
  


**Eyes open**

  
  


**He could hear footsteps coming in the distance. The only visitors he had ever received had been the Minister for Magic on the yearly inspection, and even then it had only been on two occasions. The last visit had been when Cornelius Fudge had been appointed Minister in 1990. He had stayed long enough to scoff at him and had growled that he was glad to know that he would rot in his cell. Then ordered an Auror to transfer him to a cell on the top floor, where he currently resided. Fudge had obviously been happy to forget him up here, as he had never returned. He had had no contact with the outside world since then.**

**The only other time had been nine years before. The Minister then had been a stout little woman with graying hair, of the name Millicent Bagnold. He remembered her visit most of all because it had come a few days after he had been dropped into a dingy cell on the third floor. She was still riding the coattails of luck from the downfalls of Voldemort in only the second year of her tenure as Minister for Magic and had come to gloat.**

**Eyes closed.**

_ Her patronus, a cunning fox, slinking around brushing against her legs. Dementors hovered all around the cell. Minister Bagnold stood there as the dementors fed off every happy memory he had. He could feel every ounce of light stored in the depths of his soul slowly being sucked out. Faces he loved disappearing only to be replaced with dead gaunt looking versions of their former lively selves. He felt weak. One after another the Dementors swooped in over top of him and took in icy breath after breath. He was only half aware that the noise he was hearing had been his own screams of pain and fear. _

_ ‘It’s my fault...all my fault.” He cried out and murmured James and Lily’s names. Desperately wishing to hold onto just one happy memory. But nothing was left untouched. The Minister only called the Dementors to stop once they had left him feeling hollow and hopeless as though he were barely alive. He lay there on the cold damp floor for hours after she left. Listening to the drip drip drip of water somewhere not far off in the damp prison. Biting back tears, he heard the loud chime of a clock in the distance notifying midnight. He knew by the rising and falling of the sunlight outside the walls of the prison approximately how many days he had been here. It was now November 3rd. Another dementor glided along down the hall in front of his cell, and he pushed himself further against the cold stone wall, curling into a ball to contain his body heat “Happy Birthday Sirius.” He thought blankly to himself. _


End file.
